Luncheon honors top grad studies posters

Dr. Joey Granger, back row left, dean of the School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences, and Dr. Greg Chinchar, back row right, associate dean of the school, congratulate winners of the school's poster competition following an Oct. 25 awards luncheon at the Norman C. Nelson Student Union.

Vice chancellor to host town hall meeting

All Medical Center faculty, staff and students are invited. For more information, call Public Affairs at 4-1100.

Otolaryngology faculty welcome Elkins

Dr. Alex J. Elkins, a recently trained audiologist, has joined the Medical Center faculty as an assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology and Communicative Sciences.

After receiving the B.A. in communicative sciences and disorders from Michigan State University, East Lansing, in 2009, Elkins earned his doctorate in audiology at the University of South Florida, Tampa, in 2013. Elkins completed his clinical externship at Ear, Nose and Throat Associates of South Florida, Boca Raton. There he performed diagnosis and treatment of auditory and vestibular disorders, working primarily with an adult population. Elkins is particularly interested in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with vestibular disorders.

Elkins' audiology doctoral research project was "Neural Correlates of Auditory Temporal Resolution in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease."

Iyer joins ophthalmology faculty

Dr. Siva S. R. Iyer, a recent fellow in vitreoretinal surgery at the Louisiana State University College of Medicine, has joined the Medical Center faculty as an assistant professor of ophthalmology.

After receiving a B.A. in religion from the University of Florida, Iyer continued on at the University of Florida College of Medicine, earning an M.D. with honors and distinction in research in 2006. He completed his internship in general surgery at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School; an ophthalmology residency from 2008-11 at the Hamilton Eye Institute, University of Tennessee College of Medicine; and a vitreoretinal surgical fellowship from 2011-13 in the Department of Ophthalmology, Louisiana State University College of Medicine.

Iyer's research interests are in the role of fibrotic growth factors in the eye, including connective tissue growth factor. His clinical interests are in the repair of complex retinal detachments, including diabetic tractional retinal detachments and those involving proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

A lead author in a peer-reviewed professional publication and one book chapter, Iyer is a member of the American Society of Retina Specialists and the American Academy of Ophthalmology and is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.

UMMC staff receive service recognition

The Medical Center is proud to acknowledge those employees who will celebrate service anniversaries this week:

25 Years

* David Alford, locksmith, Building Maintenance

20 Years

* Lester Pleasant, surgical support technologist, Ambulatory Surgery

* Candy Prentice, administrative assistant in the School of Medicine (Hypertension)

Siragy talks kidney disease management

Dr. Helmy M. Siragy, professor of medicine and endocrinology, distinguished chair of excellence in medical education and associate chief of the Department of Medicine at the University of Virginia Health System, will present "(Pro)Renin Receptor: A Novel Target for Management of Diabetic Kidney Disease" at noon on Monday, Nov. 11, in room 6A.

For more information, call Pam Banks at 4-1690 or email her at pbanks@umc.edu.

Rounds to cover neuro-inflammatory issues

Dr. Avindra Nath, clinical director of NINDS, chief of the Section of Infections of the Nervous System and director of the Translational Center for Neurological Sciences at the National Institutes of Health, will give the Neuroscience Grand Rounds presentation, "Challenges in Neuro-Inflammatory Diseases," from 8-9 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, in the Bank Plus Conference Center on the second-floor atrium mall of the Methodist Rehabilitation Center.

The presentation is part of the UMMC Health Equity Lecture Series, a program of the Division of Multicultural Affairs sponsored by the Office of the Vice Chancellor and the Bower Foundation.

Lunch will be available for the first 100 in attendance. CE, CME and CNE credit will be available.

For more information, call Multicultural Affairs at 4-1339.

Geffen prof to cite aging's truth, consequence

Dr. Richard Glassock, professor emeritus at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, will present "Estimated and Measured GFT with Aging: Truths and Consequences" from noon-1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, in room CW308 of the Classroom Wing.

All Medical Center faculty, staff and students are invited. Refreshments will be available on a first-come basis.

The seminar is presented by the Department of Physiology and Biophysics. For more information, call Courtney Graham at 4-1820.

Clifford to discuss successful scientific careers

Dr. Philip S. Clifford, professor of anesthesiology and physiology and associate dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Medical College of Wisconsin, will present the Faculty Scholarship Exchange Seminar and Career Opportunity and Professional Development Lecture, "Planning for a Successful Career in Science," at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14, in room CW308 of the Classroom Wing.

Light refreshments will be available. The presentation is sponsored by the Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences.

For more information, call Shanna Moulds at 4-1632 or Jessica Green Overby at 4-2810.

Global Health Interest Group hosts Girl Rising

Students, faculty and their teenage children are invited to a free screening of the provocative film Girl Rising, starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19 in rooms A and B in the UMMC Student Union.

The student organization Global Health Interest Group (GHIG), formerly known as Humanitarian Health Partnership, is host of the event.

Stories depicted in the film are based on the lives of nine adolescent girls in several different countries. Their obstacles to getting an education include child labor, trafficking, early marriage, gender violence and poor access to health care; the film is rated PG-13.

“We take for granted so many things we have in the states, and education is definitely one; girls in other countries have to struggle for it,” said Dr. Jericho Bell, assistant professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at UMMC and GHIG’s faculty advisor.

The hope is that, upon viewing this film, UMMC students and employees will become more aware of these issues and will be encouraged to take action.

Although admission is free, the screening is tied to a collection drive: Boxes placed around the campus are for donations of hygiene products for the Mercy Delta Express Program, which will distribute them to schools.